Joe Rogan comment leads to Sam Stout game plan change at UFC on FX 4

Sam Stout remembers very clearly what Joe Rogan said during a recent fight.

The longtime UFC commentator said Stout was an easy fighter to train for because he fought the same way every time. Basically, opponents knew he liked to strike, and knew he was more vulnerable on the mat.

So when Stout (19-7-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) bucked that trend in a rubber match with Spencer Fisher (25-9 MMA, 9-8 UFC) at this past Friday’s UFC on FX 4, he had Rogan’s statement in mind – and also, Fisher’s more accurate punches.

“I decided to go out there and do something about that in this fight,” Stout told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “My wrestling game is something that I’ve been working on for a long time, and my jiu-jitsu game. I’ve been saying that for a long time, but I’ve never really shown it.”

Stout certainly put his grappling chops on display when he earned a unanimous decision over Fisher in the co-main draw of the event, which took place at Revel Atlantic City in New Jersey. The bout aired on FX.

Fisher was caught off-guard when his opponent put him on the mat during the fight, and afterward gave the impression there was a gentlemen’s agreement to keep the fight on its feet. But Stout said there was no such thing.

“That’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s an MMA fight. That’s what he was hoping for, I’m sure. But it’s not a boxing match. He said, ‘Let’s get ‘Fight of the Night” at the weigh-ins, but what does that mean? We still got ‘Fight of the Night’ – I just came out on top.”

Indeed, the pair were each awarded an additional $50,000 on top of their contracted pay. It was the fifth such bonus for Stout, and the second for Fisher, who later announced his retirement from the sport after a 10-year career.

Stout, who is 7-6 in the UFC, doesn’t at all regret his decision in an interview four days after the event. He said cornerman and trainer Mark DellaGrotte advised him beforehand to change his game plan if things weren’t working out.

“Really, what everyone tries to do is get their opponents to fight their fight,” Stout said. “I’ll be the first one to admit: He was winning the standup exchanges. So it was time to change something up.

“He was a split-second faster than me on the punches. He was moving forward the whole time. I was losing the standup exchanges. So I changed levels and took him down … and won the fight. I don’t think there’s any dishonor in that. There was definitely no unspoken agreement to keep the fight up.”

Stout said from here on out, fans might not be able to count on a slugfest every time he steps into the octagon.

“You can expect to see a more well-rounded game from me,” he said. “I think it was just a mental block for me to not put it into practice during the fight. I started off my career in MMA as a kickboxer in MMA. I learned a little bit of takedown defense. Since the beginning of my career, it’s always been my plan to keep the fight standing, and that’s where I’ve been most comfortable.

“But at this stage of the game, I’m pretty comfortable everywhere. So why not keep people guessing?”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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